


Times are Hard for Dreamers

by lets_b_goblins



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Bisexuality, Fluff, Gay, Happy Ending, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm honestly not quite sure where this is going to end up, Internalized Biphobia, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Pre-Canon, a little bit of angst bc it's nico what do you expect, does anyone even read these tags, edit: ok there's like a lot of swearing, im trying my best ok, probably swearing but nothing your cool grandma wouldn't like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 10,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24906133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lets_b_goblins/pseuds/lets_b_goblins
Summary: This is my first Riordanverse fanfic! I hope you enjoy! The title is from the musical Amelie. This is basically the story of Will Solace and Nico di Angelo, as close to canon as possible (though I haven't read the books in a few months so I'm doing my best), and told from Will's perspective. I will do my best to update often.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 13
Kudos: 99





	1. It won't be hard for me

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Gay slurs and homophobia

When I was in 2nd grade, my class put on a Christmas show for their parents and the rest of the school. I get put in the front row and told to memorize some line about how important Christmas is. Standing next to me is Caleb, a tall boy with blondish floppy hair and a kind smile that lights up his dark blue eyes. 

Not that I notice. 

The teachers pair us kids up for the final Christmas dance, and there aren’t enough girls. Caleb and I get paired up, and whenever our hands brush together, my heart threatens to burst.

A few days later, I see Caleb holding hands with Jessica. They’re giggling at each other, and my throat constricts. Something cold drops to the bottom of my stomach.

A week later, a girl named Julia comes up to me. I’m sitting under a twisty tree. The sun hits my face just right and I feel whole. Julia grabs my hand and says she wants to be my girlfriend. I ask how she knows. Julia looks at me as if I’ve gone a bit strange. She tells me that when she looks at me her heart feels like it’s going to burst and that she asked her mom what that means and her mom told her that means she likes me. I think about that for a moment, then say:

“Remember that time I danced with Caleb at the Christmas show?”

It was the wrong thing to say. Julia drops her hand and walks away. 

Later that day, my mom tells me that I have to switch schools. My grades were slipping and I was acting out too much. _It just wasn’t the right fit for you_ , she says. _We’ll find another school_ , she says. I nod cheerfully and go to bed, a miniature chasm opening up in my stomach.

***

“Why are you so obsessed with me? Are you a fag or something?” A boy named Henry looms over me. I hate fifth grade. Everyone hates themselves and everyone else at that age, and Henry is not an exception. 

“I’m not obsessed with you, Henry-”

“How do you know my name, nerd?” I almost roll my eyes. The least he could do is come up with a smart insult, as opposed to slurs and cliches. “Have you been stalking me or something?” 

“Can you please just leave me alone, I have to get to class-” 

“No way. My dad says boys like you are called homos. He says you want to date guys!” 

“I don't!’ God, I hate how my voice cracks. I’m not gay. I’m _not_. Gay guys like pink and lady gaga and wear makeup and that’s not me. I like science and indie music and flannels and ( probably kinda sorta not really actually now that I think about it) that girl Amanda and (definitely now that I think about it) that boy Stuart. 

The middle school campus doesn’t have a playground. There’s no twisty tree to sit under. I begin to forget what it feels like to feel whole 

The chasm in my stomach widens.

***

After getting expelled from my fourth school in 7 years, my mom finally decides enough is enough. She sits me down and tells me everything. Somehow, I believe her. Could I die from a monster attacking me? Yes. but at least it's not  _ this. _ This static that fills my lungs, the way people whisper about the strange boy who hums under his breath and somehow made that frog come back to life when he was supposed to be dissecting it. 

My mom drives him to the airport, where a guy named Ash waits for me. I’m told Ash is a satyr, a half goat. Sure. Why not? And that’s where I leave my mom, at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, waving at me, looking more broken than I am.


	2. Everything I know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will gets adjusted to Camp half-blood.  
> I'm so sorry if the timeline is off but I had to speed it up or we'd be here for months   
> anyways there's swearing but that's it in terms of content

When I arrive at Camp Half Blood, I’m claimed almost immediately. A shining lyre appears above my head, and I get ushered off to Cabin 7. It’s so bright it makes my eyes hurt, but everyone inside is nice enough. I do my best to learn everyone’s names, and get told by a guy named Micheal Yew to go to the Big House. There, a very grumpy god of wine (why not?) shows me an orientation film. I don’t know which part of it is weirder; the fact that there’s a climbing wall with lava or that they haven’t updated the film since the 80s.

That evening, everyone goes to dinner. I sit with my siblings (it’s so weird to think that I’m related to all these people). Micheal Yew turns to look at me. “What’s your talent?” he says abruptly. 

“I’m sorry?” 

“Like, what gift did you get from dad?”  _ Dad.  _ like he’s not a  _ god.  _ How are all of these kids so well adjusted?

“Oh, um... I dunno. I like the sun I guess?” 

“Yeah, basically every Apollo kid gets their energy from the sun. We’re like plants. But what else? Archery? Poetry? Music? Healing?”

“Well,” I start counting on my fingers. “I’ve never tried archery, but I’m pretty clumsy so probably not, I’m definitely not a poet, I played the guitar a bit when I was in 4th grade, but I wasn’t great at it. Healing....” I trailed off. ‘Well, maybe. I definitely like science. And… well, one time, I made a squirrel come back to life.” 

“Really?” this guy Lee Fletcher comes over and sits next to me. He’s head of the Apollo cabin. I like him. He smiles a lot. “That’s a big deal. Are you sure?”

“I think so. I couldn’t repeat it though. I tried, but I think it's pretty random.”

“Huh.” Lee nods. “Well, maybe you can ask to help at the infirmary. That is, if you don’t want to fight.” 

“I’m very comfortable with that.” I finish off my food, and a tall, blond boy with blue eyes and a scar over his right eye hands Lee a guitar. Lee says, “Let’s get this campfire started, shall we?” a collective cheer rises up from the campers. Lee starts singing a song about putting on armor, and everyone else joins in. 

***

A month later, It’s time for capture the flag. I’m pretty well adjusted now; I know everyone’s names, and have made some real friends. I stay behind in the infirmary like I have for the past couple games and wait for the dozens of broken arms that are probably coming. There’s a new kid; a guy named Percy Jackson. He’s older than me, and apparently he’s a pretty big deal; Chiron was watching over him for almost a year. Anyways, I have a feeling this was going to be an eventful game.

This guy Adam is helping out today. He’s unclaimed, but he doesn’t like to fight, so he hangs out in the infirmary. He has messy dark hair, light brown skin, and long, skeleton-like fingers. I like him. He has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor that compliments mine. We tell each other jokes and stories about all the schools we got kicked out of. I skip over the bullying. He doesn’t need to know about that. 

***

“So... _ what  _ happened exactly?” I’m dressing a wound on an Ares kid named Stuart. Adam’s feeding him ambrosia.

“That punk Percy Jackson apparently has fucking water powers-” 

“What?” Adam drops the ambrosia he’s holding. “Is he a son of Poseidon?” 

“I guess so. Anyways, he decked all four of us. Clarisse is pissed off.” I look over at Clarisse, who’s sitting on a cot, getting helped by one of my siblings. Her hair is sopping wet, which is fitting since she looks like an angry cat. 

“Yikes.” 

“Yeah no kidding. I can’t believe him. He’s probably gonna get a quest too.” Stuart winces as I apply another bandage. 

“Really?” I’m surprised. No one had gone on a quest since that guy Luke. 

“Yeah. It’s so fucking unfair. Annabeth’s annoyed especially. She’s been here for years and then this kid walks in and gets a quest right away? I’d be mad too.” I shudder. I don’t know Annabeth that well, but I know how intense she can be. If Percy has invoked her wrath, well, I pray a monster gets to him before she does. 

“Well, hopefully it all works out. Now go to your cabin and rest until dinner. Your arm will be fine, but you need to rest or there will be a bunch of scarring, and you don't want that.” 

“Ok Will.” Stuart gives me a hug. I’m caught off guard. I awkwardly pat him on the back. Adam coughs to hide a laugh. 

*** 

Apparently, Percy’s not an idiot, because he takes Annabeth on the quest with him. They leave early one morning. Most people aren’t up yet, but I like to wander around in the morning. It clears my head. I watch the sunrise from a canoe, and it almost feels like talking to my dad. At 7:30, I hear a car engine rev. I wander down to the entrance of camp and see Percy, Annabeth, and Grover get into a van. They look nervous. I watch them for a while as they drive off, then go back to the lake. For the first time, I wonder what it would be like if someone was out here with me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave kudos and comment if you want me to love you forever!!


	3. And then see it go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sad Will :(

During that week when Percy is gone, everything is tense. I get the details of the quest from Adam, who hears it from another unclaimed kid who hears it from Luke. 

“Someone, what, just stole the master bolt?” I ask Adam. We’re in a storage closet. I’m stacking boxes of bandages while he sits on a bedside table that was left in here for some reason. 

“I guess. I mean, I don’t really know the details, but yeah.” 

“And they’re trusting Percy?”

“I guess. I think it has to be him for some reason. But you know,” Adam shifts where he’s sitting. “He’s pretty cute.” He looks up at me. I freeze.

“Uh, yeah. I mean I guess.” I don’t look up. Of course I agree. Do I look tense? I should relax my shoulders. There’s an awkward silence between us. Adam clears his throat.

“Um, I should go. I gotta…” He trails off, gesturing wildly. We both know he doesn’t have anywhere to be, but I nod anyways. 

“Right. Yeah. See you later.”

***

Luke’s betrayal rocks the camp. I don’t even know the guy that well, but he’s so much a part of camp that without him, everything is grey. Once again, I hear about this through the grapevine, but I could sense a change even before anyone told me what he did. Everyone is somber, no one laughs as much. A place that was quickly becoming my home has died a little bit. 

Percy and Annabeth both go home for the school year, but I decide to stay. My mom tells me she’s going on tour, and it’s safer here anyways. Adam and I spend a lot of time together. He helps out at the infirmary most days, and on Wednesdays he drags me out to do something else. “It’s your day off,” He’d say. “We’re going canoeing.” 

I don’t tell him about watching the sunrise. It feels too personal still. 

One day, we’re sitting in a canoe. It’s noon, and the sun is high above us. We have to go for lunch in a bit, but for now, I’m content to just sit here, my feet in the water, my thoughts far away. Adam is singing a song under his breath. He’s not a good singer, but he’s so comfortable it doesn’t matter.

“Hey, Will?” He’s looking at me, head tilted slightly. He’s nervous.

“Yeah?” I look back. Before I can process what’s happening, he leans in and presses his lips to mine. Sirens go off in my head, and a million thoughts are racing around my brain, but then his right hand twists around one of my curls, and I melt. When he pulls away, we’re both breathless. He’s smiling, and his face is bright red.

“Hi,” I say, at a loss for anything intelligent to say. 

“Hey,” He says back, laughing a bit. “Wait-” A cloud passes over his expression. “Was that... are you not....” He starts to lean back. 

“No I-I think- I think I am.” I say, before I even realize it in my head.

“Oh. That’s-that’s good.”

“Yeah.” I don’t know what to say, but I’m saved by the lunch bell. “Shit. We’re gonna be late.” Adam pedals us back, both of us still giggling a bit. 

***

A few months later, Adam disappears without warning. No one knows where he went, but I have a feeling; he joined Luke. It makes sense; he was in a cabin with the guy, and he’s unclaimed. Perfect combination to be angry and bitter. 

I don’t smile for a week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I promise things will get good soon!


	4. Racing past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally Nico's a part of the story!

That year goes by quickly. Another summer, another quest passes, and I barely notice. It’s easy to let the days slide by. I still think about Adam sometimes; about what I could’ve done. But it’s hard to be sad when the sun is shining and everyone else is happy. Sure, there’s still the threat of a devastating war, but it’s like living next to a volcano; soon enough, you get used to the occasional eruption. Are the camp’s borders lowered? Yes. Is there a terrible new camp director? Yes. But if you’re not close with Percy Jackson, you have little to worry about. 

Summer slides into fall, and I celebrate m y 13th birthday. Apparently, it’s a pretty big deal to make it this far, so all of my siblings chip in to buy a soft green flannel that I wear almost every day afterwards. 

According to this unclaimed girl named Lou Ellen, siblings don’t tend to buy each other gifts here. “They just got you that because you’re the nicest person in the universe,” she says. I get that a lot. I don’t understand why. I don't think I'm that nice. I tell her this, and she rolls her eyes. “That’s what makes you so nice, dumbass.” She hits me on top of my head. She does that a lot. 

*** 

Somehow, it’s already winter again. Snow falls on the camp, and an endless stream of campers flood into the infirmary in search of cough drops and benadryl. I find a fast friend in Lou Ellen. She still doesn’t know who her godly parent is, but she doesn't seem to care too much. Whoever she is, her mom was obviously skilled with her hands, since Lou Ellen can wrap bandages like magic.

Apparently, Percy Jackson can’t catch a fucking break , because he comes back from what was supposed to be a quick mission with the hunters of Artemis and with his best friend (and probably more than best friend, let’s be honest) gone. I really feel for the guy. He looks devastated. After a particularly disastrous game of capture the flag, basically his entire team is sent to the infirmary. I’m just helping out, giving bandages and ambrosia to those who need it, when I spot this kid about my age, sitting on a cot, swinging his legs and looking around as if this is all very exciting. My breath catches in my throat: for a second, he looks just like Adam. 

“Can I help you?” I say, walking over to where he’s sitting. He grins up at me. He’s missing a tooth. 

“Hi!” He says. “I’m Nico! What’s your name?” He says, sticking out a hand for me to shake. I blink.

“I’m Will. Will Solace.” I say, taking his hand. His hands are colder than I would’ve thought. 

“People got stabbed! It was crazy!” Nico giggled. I laugh despite myself.

“You’ll get used to that soon enough, don’t you worry,” I say. “Do you have any injuries?” 

“I have this cut on my arm, he says, sticking his left arm in front of my face. A gash the size of my middle finger runs down his forearm. 

“Gods Nico, what happened? Nico shrugged.

“I tripped.” He says nonchalantly. I grab an extra large band-aid and plaster it on after disinfecting the cut. He chatters on about a card game I’ve never heard of the whole time, stopping to take big breaths of air before jumping back in again. 

I see him that night at dinner. He’s sitting with the Hermes cabin, talking to no one in particular. 

I smile despite myself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! WOW there's a lot of you now! please leave kudos or a comment and have a great day!


	5. Interlude: Nico

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick look at Nico

A hot spike presses into my head. I wince, trying not to cry out. Will doesn’t notice. He’s busy making beds. I try not to panic. What’s happening? 

_ Bianca, _ I think.  _ Bianca _ _. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you couldn't tell, that's when Bianca dies, and while Nico's powers haven't quite developed, he still knows something's wrong.


	6. It isn’t what I have

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sad boi Will

The week of the quest, I spend a lot of time with Nico. Or, he follows me around and I let him. He’s got a lot to say; he talks my ear off asking questions about my work, about camp, about literally everything I do. I’m happy to indulge him; He doesn’t have a lot of other friends, and he clearly misses his sister a lot.

“Can you bring people back from the dead?” Nico’s sitting on a bedside table a few cots away from me while I make beds.

“I’m sorry?” I put down the pillow I was plumping.

Nico rubs his temples. “Well, you’re a healer, right? And that guys Asclepius is a son of Apollo and he can heal a member of your team in exchange for-”

“Nico, this is real life.” I say, a little concerned with how pale Nico is.

“I know, I know, it’s just…” He trails off, staring into space.

“It’s just what?” I prompt.

“Nothing, nevermind. I was just- curious.”

“I see.” I’m not convinced, but I let it go.

***

Nico disappears a week later. When I find out, I almost laugh. Of course, I think. Who stays, ever? I’m cleaning up a bedside table when I spot an envelope sticking out from under a water glass:

_I’m sorry. You’d hate me if you knew._

_-Nico._

I put my head in my hands. “Nico, what have you done?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I know they didn't really meet before BoO but... this is fanfiction after all and I wanted them to be friends so they are.


	7. It’s only what I have in store

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> apollo is like...one of the better olympians, right? me says yes.

I don’t get many answers afterward. I ask Lee Fletcher to ask Chiron, who tells him he probably ran off to join Luke’s army. I send a silent prayer to my dad.  _ Please, dad. Not again. I’ve never asked you for anything, but please don’t let Nico get hurt.  _ I don’t know why I care so much about the kid; I don’t even know him that well. But the thought of watching another friend, no matter how small, leave is almost too much to bear. Too much like Adam.

Winter blooms into spring, green and blue and pink surrounding me. I find myself spending more and more time with Lee Fletcher and some of the other, older campers. Percy Jackson is actually a pretty cool guy; he ends up in the infirmary all the time, and I like his sense of humor a lot. 

One day, after a failed run of the climbing wall, he winds up in the infirmary, half his eyebrow singed off. I laugh so hard I can’t breathe and he groans and says, “Do I really look that ridiculous?” 

“No, no, no, I’m sorry. You look great.” I blush, feeling stupid. He doesn’t notice; he’s too busy checking out his now hairless arms. 

“I told Annabeth I could do it on the extreme setting. I guess I was wrong.” 

“Clearly.” I hesitate. I don’t want to ask, but I have to. “Hey, Percy?” 

“Yeah?” He’s still not looking at me. 

“What happened to Nico?” I grab some burn cream and hand it to him. 

Percy’s not a great actor. He immediately stops smiling and looks up at me. “What do you mean? He left. That’s not too uncommon at this point, right?” 

I roll my eyes. “I’m not stupid, Percy. Nico-he didn’t just desert. He barely even knows about the Kronos shit,” Percy blinks at my swearing. “Why did he leave?”

“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?” 

“Nope.”

“Fine,” Percy says, leaning back against the bed frame. “You can’t tell anyone, ok?” 

“Is it that serious?” I whisper. 

“No, no, no, it’s not like that,” He says, shaking his head. He leans in. “He’s-well, he’s a son of Hades,” 

“What?” I drop the burn cream I’m holding. “Hades broke the oath too?”

“Not exactly.” 

“What?” 

Percy explains the whole thing to me, having completely forgotten his burns. By the time he’s finished, I feel like I’ve run a marathon. Percy excuses himself quickly and it’s only when he’s left that I realize he didn’t tell me how he knows. 

***

Wednesday morning I go out on the lake for the first time since meeting Nico. The sunrise blasts the sky with orange, pink, blue, the sun a distant glow reflected in the lake. Thoughts are racing around my head a million miles an hour, and I just start talking. 

“Hey Apollo- I mean- hey dad. How are you? I guess I don’t know because you’ve never talked to me before but… I need your help. I don’t know what I’m doing and...I’m scared, ok? Just… please give me some guidance.” I close my eyes, willing him to hear me. I feel stupid because it’s not like he answers any of my siblings’ prayers, but I have to try.

“Hey Will.” A voice next to me makes me jump, rocking the boat and making me clutch my chests like an old lady. “Don’t tip the boat over, kid!” I look over. A young man, maybe 20, is smiling at me, his pearly white teeth on full display. He has messy, blond hair, just like… just like…

“Dad?” I say, incredulous. 

He wrinkles his nose. “Dad makes me sound old.”

“But aren’t you like 3000 years old?” I ask. 

“Unimportant. Just call me Apollo.” He spreads his arms, like he’s expecting me to give him a hug.

I don’t. “How are you here?” I ask. “Aren’t you, like, driving the sun right now?”

“Technically, yes. But I always have time for my favorite son! Uh, pun not intended. Though I do have quite a few of those-” 

“Why are you here?” I interrupt, weirdly impatient. This is the first time I’ve ever spoken to my dad, and he’s going on about puns? “Why now? Why me?” 

“Well, I’m here because you were talking rather loudly,” Apollo starts. “Now because you’re alone and I don't think Captain Thunderpants would be too happy, and you because… well, because you’re nice. And also because I know how you feel?”

“Really?” I say.

“No, not really,” Apollo grimaces. “I may have lost a lot of people, seeing as you mortals always seem to die on me, but I haven’t been that broken up about them. Especially not if I didn’t date them. Nico was barely even your friend, correct?” 

“No, but I still care. I can’t not.” 

“I see. Listen, kid,” Apollo turns to me, his blue eyes mirroring mine. “I can’t promise he’ll be ok. He’s got his own journey to go on, and it is NOT going to be easy. However, I will extend my protection to him. I will try to keep him safe from harm if I can. Is that good enough?” 

It’s not, but I won’t say that. “Thank you, dad.” 

Apollo smiles at me. “Anytime, kiddo.” He pats me on the shoulder, and begins to fade away into a beam of light. “Oh, and Will?” 

“Yeah dad?” 

“Things are going to be ok.” 

I say thank you, but he’s already faded away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me? posting a chapter that's more than like 3 paragraphs? It's more likely than you think.


	8. What matters now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long I had internet problems.

I dread the arrival of summer, but it comes anyways. I have this weird sense of foreboding hanging over me. Something is going to happen, and I have a feeling I won’t like it. I confide in Lee Fletcher, who does not give me much hope. “You’re not the only one. I think so too.”

Annabeth Chase gets a quest this year, but no one’s that excited for her; this is one of the most dangerous quests yet. I have to say, it’s impressive how the stakes continue to rise and rise even when I can’t imagine things getting more intense. She takes Percy and the rest of the gang with her, and Grover’s not too happy about it.

“Why can’t they stop making googly eyes at each other? Percy needs to ask her out or I’m gonna riot.” Grover’s trying to teach me guitar, though it’s kind of the blind leading the blind since he barely knows how to play himself. I laugh under my breath, playing an absolutely awful sounding C chord. 

“They need to get it together. Cecil from the Hermes cabin has been placing bets on who’s gonna make a move first.” 

“I honestly have no idea.” Grover moves one of my fingers over. I strum again and it sounds a lot better. “I guess we’ll see on the quest.” 

“You’re going with them?” I’m surprised. Grover hates going underground. 

“I have to.” 

“Pan?” 

“Exactly.” Grover checks his watch, then jumps up. “Shoot. I gotta go meet Juniper. See you later, Will.” He trots off. I sigh. I’d better go back to my cabin. The Apollo cabin has a get together every Wednesday, since it’s the only day we’re all available. 

I walk into the cabin, then stop. Everyone is staring at me, open mouthed. I laugh nervously. 

“Hello?” 

Lee Fletcher closes his mouth and blinks. “There’s something… there’s something here for you.” He shoves a letter in my hand and steps back. I open my mouth to say something, then stop. The letter is sealed with a gold seal, a sun with a lyre in it.  _ Apollo.  _ I look up at my siblings, who look right back at me. I tear open the letter, cringing at the sound sharply contrasting the silence around me.

_ Hello there Will,  _

_ This is Apollo speaking. I am very busy right now, so I will make this brief; my protection has failed. That boy Nico- he’s gone somewhere the sun doesn’t shine, and I cannot protect him anymore. I am sorry. Now, you mustn't share the contents of this letter with your siblings. I cannot show any form of favoritism towards any of my children. Now, I must go. Goodbye.  _

_ Apollo  _

_ PS: Brace yourself _

I tear my eyes away from the letter, my hands shaking. 

“Well?” Micheal says. “What did he- dad- say?” 

I clear my throat. “Nothing much,” 

“Nothing much?” A guy named Austin, who I don’t know well, speaks up. “I highly doubt our dad would reach out if it was ‘nothing much’,” He puts nothing much in air quotes. 

Best to tell the truth. “He said- he said to brace ourselves.” 

Kayla puts her hands on her hips. “What does  _ that  _ mean?” 

“I have no idea,” I say, grateful they took the bait. “Probably something to do with the war.” 

_ “ _ Probably,” Micheal Yew says, scrunching up his face. “I just don’t know why it was on  _ your  _ bed. Lee’s the leader.” 

I shrug. “Who knows?”

The rest of my siblings start arguing and I excuse myself to the bathroom, trying not to panic.  _ He’s gone somewhere the sun doesn’t shine… _ What does that mean? What is Nico doing? 


	9. Stuck, or lost at sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's just...sad.

When I was little, my mom told me how everyone could remember exactly where they were when 9/11 took place. She told me how she was at the grocery store, picking up extra paper towels when the news showed pictures of a burning building, then another one. She told me how scared she was, even though she was so far away from the danger. She told me she’d never forget it. 

I believe her now. 

Lee Fletcher. Older brother, friend, cabin leader. Dead. Micheal Yew is the one to tell us all. He breaks down, and Kayla rushes to comfort him. My cabinmates weep around me, but I don’t. I clear my throat of its tears. 

“I have to go.” I say hoarsely. Micheal looks up at me. 

“Why?”

“There’s things to do. I’m assuming? People who are hurt?” A breeze blows through the pavilion and I shudder. 

“Right.” Micheal says, dusting himself off. “We’re the Apollo cabin. We’re the helpers. Austin, you’re the only one of us who can do anything remotely medical besides Will. Go find anyone in the Hermes cabin who’s not injured. They’re the most useful in bandage wrapping.” Austin nods, wiping his eyes. “Everyone else… help me with the body.” Micheal’s voice breaks. Kayla, Victoria and Melody nod and walk away with Micheal. 

I walk towards the infirmary, barely registering when I get there. I’ve never felt real grief before, but I remember when my mom’s sister passed away; I didn’t know my aunt all that well, but I’ll never forget how broken my mom looked. I hope I don't look like that.

***

It’s hell. 

What seems like every camper I know is here, all of them injured. Austin arrives with the Hermes cabin and turns on music. He swears it helps people heal, and I’m inclined to believe him. A song plays, and I’m surprised to notice I actually recognize it; “Bloom” by the Paper Kites. Austin sings along, going from patient to patient. It’s definitely working; everyone is immediately put in a better mood by his singing, though Austin sounds melancholy. 

Working in the infirmary is fun most of the time. I get to do what I love, and I’ve made good friends there. I’ve set broken bones, bandaged arms, even hummed a tune to heal small cuts. 

Nothing could prepare me for this.

Most look alright; just an arm broken here or a sprained ankle there, thank the gods, but there’s a son of Dionysis. His name was Castor. I couldn't save him. 

I’ve heard the Ares kids say that in the stress of combat, everything just evens out. I’m fighting a battle of my own here, and I’m inclined to agree with them. Castor stumbles in, clutching his stomach. Lou Ellen sits him down on a cot. I walk over to him. He looks up at me. All of this happens very slowly. I barely have time to look at his wound-  _ a sword stab, right through the middle, it’s a miracle he made it this far _ \- before the light leaves his eyes. His twin brother, Pollux, is there.  _ How did I not see him before? _ Pollux sobs dryly, leaning against Lou Ellen, who gives him a hug and wipes her own tears away. 

I couldn’t save him. 

***   
  


I’ve never seen death before. I didn’t expect it to be so calm.

Micheal gets up to say a few words, and I don't cry. I’m not sure why; I overexerted my healing abilities an hour ago, so now I’m just tired. I’ll miss Lee a lot, but he looks so peaceful, like he can relax. I hope he gets into Elysium. He deserves it. 


	10. Waking up for me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> catch me completely fabricating characters and relationships since we have no backstory for will.

I love fall. Always have. Warm sweaters, crunchy leaves, red noses. Back in Texas, we didn’t have seasons really; we just had hot and cold. But at camp, every season kicks off in full force, and it’s all I can do to not find myself craving a pumpkin spice latte. Lou Ellen hates fall.

“My allergies are such a bitch sometimes I swear to gods,” she says, rubbing her nose. She’s wearing a dark blue sweater and pink overalls. She has her legs crossed like a pretzel and her nose and cheeks are comically red, like a cartoon character.

“Can’t you use magic or something to help?” She just got claimed a few days ago and has been showing off ever since. Another daughter of Hecate in the Hermes cabin has been teaching her tricks.

“Don’t be an idiot, Will. The Mist doesn’t work like that.” She shakes her head like it’s obvious, getting up from the bed she’s sitting on. “And even if it did, I’m definitely not powerful enough yet.” “I see.” I hand her a cup of tea I’ve been brewing, chock full of herbs to make her temperature go down.

“This’ll make you feel better,” I say, watching the steam curl around her face. She has a lot of freckles, hard to see against her dark skin.

“Thank you Docta’.” She says in a Cockney British accent, making me laugh. Lou Ellen cups the mug in both of her hands, like she’s conserving warmth. I don't understand how she can be so comfortable all the time.

“Hey, Lou?” I say, looking up at her face.

“What’s up, Sunshine?” She tilts her head, looking a little bit concerned at my change of tone.

“How are you always so sure of yourself?” It’s something I wonder about all the time. “I’ve always felt a little unstable, but since Lee…” I trail off, not wanting to say it. “I just feel like I’m losing ground.”

Lou Ellen actually laughs. I’m taken aback.

“I’m sorry Will. I don’t mean to laugh. It’s just-well, the thought of me being sure of myself is perpetually hilarious. No one ever knows what they’re doing. I just bother to pretend.” She puts her hand on my shoulder, and I start at the touch, but it feels nice.

“You’ll figure it out, I swear. And if you don’t, well, I’ll be here to make fun of you.”

I laugh wetly. Gods, am I crying? Maybe I’m spending too much time with Grover; I’ve gone soft. Lou pulls me into a hug, her sweater so warm and soft around me.

I love fall.

***

As the year goes by, I spend more and more time with Lou Ellen. She’s fun to be around; She laughs at my jokes, tells me interesting things she’s learned, and gives surprisingly good advice. Once in a while, I almost think… No. She’s a girl. I like guys. I can’t possibly like both. Right?

***

The camp is preparing for war. I wish it didn’t have to come to this. I fear what may happen to my friends; I have so many now, and it’s like walking around with an open wound anyone can poke a stick at. I don’t like it, but most of the Apollo cabin is told to stay at camp. Micheal, Kayla, and Austin leave, but I stay back with the younger campers.

“You’re not useful in a fight,” Micheal says to all of us. “I promise, I’ll see all of you soon.” He turns and leaves, taking the fighters with him. This 9 year old girl-Julia-bursts into tears. I kneel down to comfort her, pushing her sticky blonde hair out of her face. She retreats into herself, balling her fists and rubbing her eyes. Anger settles over me like a shell. No kid should have to go through this.

“Everything will be alright, I swear on the River Styx.” My whole body tenses, like some horrible texture scraped my teeth. That was a dangerous promise to make.


	11. My Finger Tracing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Speeding up the timeline bc at the rate we're going it could be years before we even get to post-canon.

I’m comforting a tear-stricken daughter of Hebe when Percy Jackson runs into camp, on the verge of tears. He explains what happened to Annabeth and drags me to a hotel in Manhattan. I don’t have much time to look around at the outside, but I can tell it’s not good. We rush into the hotel and up the stairs, stopping when we get to the terrace. 

Annabeth’s face is pale and sweaty. There’s a stab wound that’s clearly infected; I can feel it like it’s my own. I lean down next to her, grimacing at the look on her face. She says something to Percy, probably flirting or whatever, but I’m focused on her wound. This is one of the worst injuries I’ve had to heal. I grab nectar from one of the Athena kids gathered around me and slather it on. 

“Owww,” Annabeth says, her already impossibly white face going paler still. I mutter an apology under my breath and grab some silver paste from my satchel, covering the wound. I pray to my dad and rewrap the bandages. I stand up and nearly faint, black spots tingeing my vision. I overexerted. I’ll need to rest. But not now. For now, it’s time to help. Micheal Yew’s words echo in my head. We’re the Apollo cabin. We’re the helpers. I clear my throat.

“There’s a pharmacy on Fifth Street. We need supplies.”

***

Travis Stoll of the Hermes cabin takes a crew of people to the pharmacy. I send them a list of things I’ll likely need. When they get back, I get to work. Nearly everyone (except the oh-so-perfect-Percy Jackson) is injured, and there are not as many healers on hand as there should be. I’m tending to a grumpy Athena kid when I hear a voice from behind me. 

“Hey there,” I whip around. My face breaks into a smile. Lou Ellen is standing there, covered in sweat and dirt and absolutely beautiful. I run over to her and give her a hug, sighing with relief when I don't sense any injuries. 

“Woah there, Will.” Lou Ellen says, laughing and patting me on the back. “I’m alright.” 

I pull away and dust myself off. “Are you sure? You feel tired.” 

“No shit, Shakespeare. I’ve been confusing the hell out of a bunch of empousai. Turns out The Mist is actually pretty helpful in a war. Especially when you’re fighting monsters.”

“Huh.” I say. “Do you have enough energy to help me out with the patients?” I gesture at the sea of broken noses and stab wounds. 

She snorts, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Always.” 

*** 

I spend the rest of the day healing. Cecil Markowitz of the Hermes cabin finally tells me to take a break, since apparently, 

“You’re paler than Voldemort, for Zeus’ sake,” so I go out for a walk. There’s a small pizza shop a block or so from the hotel, and somehow I end up there. I walk in, flinching at the bell ringing above me. There’s a huge crowd of people, both awake and asleep. I try (and fail) not to be creeped out by the fact that there’s just civilians passed out on the floor. 

“What’s the good word?” a voice comes from the more awake crowd, and I see my brother Austin sitting there with a group of Hunters of Artemis, munching on some pizza. 

“Everyone we’ve found is going to be ok. But…” I trail off, wishing I never have to reach the end of this sentence. “But Micheal Yew is missing.” 

Austin’s face crumbles as my meaning hits him and he drops his slice of pizza. One of the hunters-Thalia, I think-reaches out to comfort him. I walk over to where they’re sitting, but stop. In the corner of the table, hidden from view by the Hunter’s snow jackets, is a skinny, impossibly pale boy around my age sleeping peacefully. I blink. Is that…Nico? At first I didn’t see it, but sure enough that’s him. 

“Will?” A tear-stricken Austin looks up at me, probably wondering why I’m staring, openmouthed, at some kid my age taking a nap, but I don't respond. I walk up to Nico, tapping him on the shoulder. He wakes with a start. 

“Whad’s happenin’?” He says blearily. I almost apologize for waking him since he’s so tired, but I square my shoulders and try to look tough.

“We need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tysm for reading! Pls leave kudos or comment!


	12. That Step Beyond The Lawn

Nico has changed. He’s taller now, with long, skinny legs and thick hair that falls over his face in an almost styled way. He’s paler than death itself, and so, so thin. You can each see each one of his bones. What horrors has he gone through? He’s younger than me.

“What do you want to talk about?” his voice is lower than I would’ve thought, like he spends a great deal of time whispering.

“Do you...do you remember me?” It’s not how I expected to start this conversation, but the words spill out of my mouth faster than I can stop them. He’s taken aback by the question.

“You…” he squints off into the distance, stopping for so long I think he’s not going to continue. “Will. You talked to me...before”

“Yup.” I say nonchalantly.

“You know?” He says, pulling his legs in tight.

“About what I can do?” 

“That you’re a child of Hades? Yeah.”

“I bet Percy Jackson told you. He would.” A mini fire lights in Nico’s eyes, and he looks down at a skull ring on his finger.

“Are you ok, man?” I don’t want to ask, since he’s probably not, but I have to know. “I’m not even touching you, but you feel, I don’t know, not good.”

“How articulate are you?” He smirks. “You sound like Percy Jackson talking to Annabeth.”

I try to laugh along. “Whatever you say, bro. I just want to make sure you’re alright.”

“I’m almost never _alright._ thanks.” He laughs darkly. “I know you don’t really care. You’re just like Percy Jack-”

“Man, what in the Hades is your problem with Percy?” I ask. Now I’m upset. “You’ve mentioned him 3 times in the last minute. Why do you hate him so much?”

Nico’s eyes darken. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Then enlighten me, gods!” I’m yelling at him now but I don’t care “I just want to understand!”

“Why? Why do you care?” He’s inches from my face and on the verge of tears. 

“Because you made me care, Nico!” I run my fingers through my hair. I have to try to be a good friend. “You hung around, and then you left, and you made me care. Did you know I prayed to my dad for you? I thought about you all the freaking time. About what you were doing, about if you were safe. I want everyone to be ok, and I wasn't so sure if you were going to be!”

A tear slips down Nico’s face, and he wipes it away furiously. “I didn’t ask for that. I don't need anyone-”

“That’s not true. You need friends and you know it.” I sigh, and try to calm down. “I just want to make sure you’re alright.”

“I already told you, I’m almost never alright.” Nico’s shoulders sag, like he’s deeply exhausted. I know the feeling. “But I really, _really_ don’t want to talk about it.” He starts to get up.

I open my mouth to say something, I don't even know what, but he says, “No, don’t.” and walks away.

I’m left sitting on the sidewalk by myself, picking at a spot of grass growing out of the road. Why would he hate Percy Jackson so much? Unless… I think harder, like there’s something hidden in the canyons of my mind I can’t reach.

Oh. _Oh_. Of course.

I might suck at being a good friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! School starts for me today so my posting may be less frequent, but I'll do my best.


	13. Interlude: Nico ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *angst instesifies*

_Why do you hate him so much?_

Of course Solace wouldn’t understand. No one could.

I claw at my arms, getting some kind of happiness from seeing the white lines that follow my fingers. I want to get this out of me. But I can’t.

What’s wrong with me?


	14. All It Takes Is One More Step

We never find Micheal Yew’s body. 

We all knew he was dead, but I’m furious. The least the gods could do would be to let us honor the people who fought and died for them and the rest of civilization. 

Percy Jackson saved the day. Woo Hoo. 

Ok, that’s not fair. He’s not full of himself, or violent, or even particularly clever. He’s a good guy, honestly. 

It’s his birthday today. The day that could’ve been the destruction of civilization as we knew it. Instead, Percy saves the entire universe. 

So now I’m helping his Cyclops brother and his Satyr best friend bake a blue birthday cupcake. 

“Do you ever wonder when life got so godsdamn weird?” I say out loud, watching Tyson put two more cups of sugar than is necessary into the frosting

“Not really, no,” Grover yells over Tyson singing “Hey There Delilah” at the top of his lungs. “My life has always been weird. Now I’m “Lord of the Wild”, whatever that means.”

“I guess I’m the only fish out of water here then.” I hop down from the counter I’m sitting on. “I gotta go. Some people are still injured and stuff, and if I don’t heal Thalia’s broken legs, she’s gonna lose her mind.” 

Grover laughs and pats me on the shoulder. “Good luck. I’ll see you tonight, right?” 

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

***

I had some inhibitions at first-I probably wouldn’t want someone else watching my first kiss-But Grover assures me it’s camp tradition. “It’s payback for all the times we were forced to watch them stare into each other’s eyes,” he says, hiding in the bushes. We see Annabeth walk over, holding the cupcake we baked. She gives it to Percy. 

“20 drachmas say he’s gonna have to make the first move,” Lou Ellen whispers. 

“No way! He won’t know if she’s flirting or not.” I respond under my breath.

“Fine. You owe me if you lose though,” Lou Ellen trips over a root, causing everyone to say “shhh!”

Percy is trying to say something, but Annabeth keeps laughing at him. Finally, she throws her arms around his neck-”Oh shit!” Lou Ellen gasps- and says, “I’m never gonna make things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it.” 

They kiss, and I can’t help but smile. “You owe me, Lou.” I say, and Lou Ellen sticks her tongue out at me. Then Clarisse stands up and yells, “It’s about time!” and we all come running out of the woods.

***

They don’t come out of the lake for 5 minutes. I end up waiting for them on a tree stump, as Conner Stoll hands out drachmas to the ones who won bets. 

“Hey.” I jump up from my stump, my heart beating faster than a rabbit’s. “Sorry,” Nico’s standing behind me, his sword hanging loosely in his hand.

“It’s alright,” I say. “You just startled me is all.” 

“Oh. Sorry.” Nico says again, looking down at his feet. “Uh…um...can we-can we talk?”

I’m a little taken aback. Based on our last conversation I didn’t think he’d want to speak to me anytime soon. However, before I can say anything I hear a “Whoop whoop!” coming from Travis Stoll and turn around. Percy and Annabeth climb out of the lake, blushing furiously. They both get many claps on the back and a hug from Grover. I turn back around to look at Nico, but he’s gone.


	15. Everything I'll Ever Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all! i'm going to stick to a consistent upload schedule from now on; i will be posting once a week on either sunday or monday. i'm working on another, trickier fanfic for the bright sessions fandom, so i have to split my time.

That summer goes extra long this year.

I don’t really notice, since I don't usually go home for winter, but everyone else stays right up to the start of summer. I see Nico from time to time, working on the new Hades cabin, but he doesn’t talk to me. He’ll make other friends, I’m sure, and I’ve got Lou Ellen and Cecil. It’s a shame though.

According to Percy, there’s a new prophecy. He says he’s not bothered by it, that it could take years to even begin to come into play, but I think he’s lying. Nothing feels over just yet.

***

“Can you believe it?” Lou Ellen’s yanking me by my right hand towards the cabins. Her eyes are literally shining-they shoot sparks when she’s excited.

“You _still_ haven’t told me what this is about,” I say, though I have a feeling.

“Ta-da!” Lou Ellen exclaims, making jazz hands. In front of me, I see a silvery purple cabin. There are torches burning with blue fire on either side of the double doors, and a triple goddess symbol above the entrance.

“Wow.” I breathe.

“You haven’t even seen the best part!” Lou Ellen grabs me by the arm and pulls me to the doors.

A disembodied voice says _“Who enters?”_

“Me, Lou Ellen Blackstone, daughter of Hecate. Oh and Will Solace, son of Apollo. He’s a guest,” Lou Ellen says, tugging on one of her braids.

 _“You may enter.”_ The big doors click open, and Lou Ellen pushes them wider.

“Come on, come on, come on!” She gestures me into the cabin.

“Geez, you’re eager.” I exclaim, stepping in. Inside, there’s a huge fountain pouring down. The water is milky white. I reach out to touch it.

“Oh, that’s water from the River Lethe,” Lou Ellen says nonchalantly, looking down at her fingernails.

I snap my hand back. “Are you serious? Gods, Lou, isn’t that dangerous to have in your cabin?” I look at the water closer.

“Don’t worry, Will. It’s watered down. All it’ll do is confuse you temporarily, make you forget what happened like 5 minutes ago.” I sigh with relief.

“You could’ve started with that.”

“I could have, but it would have been less funny. Anyways, that’s why I brought you in here. I figured you could use it in the infirmary, make people forget what just happened so they’re not in as much shock.” Lou Ellen grabs a glass bottle from a cabinet on the wall next to the door.

I’m surprised. “Oh. Thank you, Lou, that’s really thoughtful.” I take the bottle from her and fill it up, careful not to get any water on me.

“Well, if I can’t help out at the infirmary so much anymore I have to do something, right?” Lou Ellen had been promoted to Head of Cabin, since the only child of Hecate older than her had died in the Battle of Manhattan, so she wouldn’t have time to help me anymore.

“Right.” I’ll miss her.

“Ok now come here!” Lou pulls me onto her bed, and I try not to blush. She crosses her legs and scrunches her eyebrows together, concentrating. All of a sudden, a pair of glasses pop out of nowhere and fall on her lap.

“Ta-da!” she puts them on.

“What did you just do?” I didn’t know she could make real things materialize out of thin air.

“Hecate’s actually pretty cool. I talked to her super briefly after the battle, and she gave me this idea.” Lou Ellen closes her eyes again and the glasses disappear off her face. “I basically have an invisible cubby all around my bed, so I can make things disappear and reappear. Like this!” a thick book appears over my head and hits me with a _thump_. “Oops, sorry Will! I’m still getting used to making the stuff appear where I want it to.”

“That’s alright,” I say, rubbing my head. “It’s pretty cool.”

“Thanks! I wish I had more siblings but whatever.” There’s only one other daughter of Hecate who hasn’t even gotten her abilities yet.

“I’m sure the satyrs will find some more.” I say. “I bet there’s going to be a ton more campers next year.”

“Probably.” Lou Ellen takes the book from me and sets it on her lap. “Can you believe it? We’re going to be old-timers in comparison.”

“Yeah. Camp’s changing so much.”

“Indeed.” Lou Ellen grabs both of her braids and tugs on them lightly. “But it’ll be the same old place.”

***

I don’t see Nico much anymore. Now that most people have gone back to school for the year, I would’ve thought he’d have spent more time with the people here, but he doesn’t. He slinks back, doesn’t socialize at campfires, and never even wears a camp tee shirt. I’ve thought about reaching out several times, but he doesn’t seem like he even wants friends. He vanishes from time to time, and no one seems to know where he goes.

One early morning, I’m sitting in a canoe as the sun rises when I hear a voice.

“Hello there.” A musical voice says softly. My head snaps over to my left, and I see a woman floating over the water. She’s wearing a sage green greek chiton, her skin as pale as marble. She has an aura to her, something I can’t quite put my finger on, but that tells me she is very important.

“Hello? I’m sorry, who are you?” as soon as I say it, I realize it’s probably a rude thing to say to a woman who is most likely a goddess, but she just laughs.

“Straight to the point, aren’t you? My name is Calliope, muse of epic poetry, proclaimer of heroes.” She spreads her arms wide, her green eyes sparkling. “I am here to relay a message from Apollo.”

“My dad?” I ask, surprised. “That is what I said, yes. He says-” A scroll appears in Calliope’s hands. She unfurls it and begins to read. “Hello William. Congratulations on helping to save New York and becoming head counselor of my cabin, even if it was due to unfortunate circumstances. I’m hard at work getting the new Oracle of Delphi acquainted with her new responsibilities, so I’m unable to speak to you myself, but I want to give you this advice: Nothing is unfixable. No one is unsavable.” Calliope touched a small hand to her chest. “That is a nice sentiment, is it not?”

I don’t answer for a moment, then shrug. “I guess.”

Calliope gives me a knowing smile “I must leave now. Melpomene and Thalia have probably gotten into an argument about operatic stylings as they often do. I’ll see you very soon-or, at least, soon for me. You may be, like, 80.” She dissolves into a pool of ink, leaving me alone. I blink a few times. “What the _Hell_ just happened?”


	16. And then I'm here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hope I got the timeline right lmao

Summer slides into fall, dying the leaves on the trees a beautiful shade of orange. New beginnings seem imminent, and with all the new campers showing up every day, no one feels alone.

Except, of course, Nico.

I don’t know why it bothers me so much; I have literally no moral obligation to him. But he ignores everyone who tries to talk to him, including Percy himself.

Speaking of Percy, he’s so delusionally happy it’s hard to be around him. Him and Annabeth spend literally all their time together, and while everyone pretends to be grossed out by it, we’re all just happy that they’re okay.

“I think I love her.” Percy’s sitting on a cot, swinging his legs like he’s 12.

“What?” I say, handing him a cough drop.

“Annabeth. I think I love her.”

“Wow.” I try not to laugh. Percy’s looking off into the distance, sighing.

“Wait, do you want me to ask why, or-”

“She’s just so _smart_ , and _funny_ , and she calls me seaweed brain, and…” Percy trails off, and I crack up. “What?” He says, looking offended.

“Nothing, you’re just funny. Are you going to tell her?” I lean against the wall.

“I don’t know! Like, what if she doesn’t feel the same way? We’ve only been dating for a few months, and I don’t want to move too fast!” Percy sucks on his cough drop, running his hand through his hair.

“You can’t know unless you tell her.” I say, pulling off my white coat.

“I guess, but…” Percy sighs. “I don’t want to mess things up, you know? Maybe I’ll wait until, like, after Christmas. That’ll be like, _two seasons_ of us dating.”

“If you say so.” I put on my green flannel. “That’s not for a month though.”

“Yeah, but I think that’s a good idea.” Percy spits out the cough drop. “Thanks for the advice, Will.”

“Did you even need a cough drop, or did you just want to talk?” I call after him, crossing my arms.

“No comment!” Percy yells as he runs out the door.

I sigh and shake my head.

***

I’m not exactly sure how, but I get used to this. Being with my friends, working at the infirmary and only having to fix broken noses, feeling secure. I wish I could go back and tell my 12 year old self; whatever will be, will be. The orange leaves fall, then get covered in snow, the world turning white

. I wake up one morning, one like any other. I look at Austin’s “Classic saxophone players” calendar. December 14. It’s my day to do cabin evaluations, along with Lou Ellen (we’ve figured out how to line up our schedules so they overlap). I head to the dining pavilion, grabbing a waffle and sitting down on a random bench.

“You ready to destroy these head counselor’s spirits?” A voice says from behind me. I avoid jumping, and instead spin around, grabbing at air. “What are you doing, Will?” Lou Ellen says from the opposite direction. She has this stupid smile on her face, obnoxiously smug.

“Ha ha. Very funny, Lou.” I roll my eyes.

“I’m really good at throwing my voice, so get used to it.” She blows me a kiss and steals my waffle.

“Hey!” I cross my arms.

“Hush, Will, gimme a sec.” Lou Ellen closes her eyes. A clipboard appears where the waffle once was. “Let’s do these evaluations, shall we?”

***

“Excellent work as always, Annabeth.” The Athena cabin is in immaculate condition, not a corner untouched.

“Thank you, Will.” Annabeth looks around proudly. “I hope Percy’s cabin looks alright. He’s not exactly organized.” “Indeed.” Lou Ellen finishes her rounds. “4.5/5. I deducted half a point because Malcolm was condescending, but otherwise a great job.”

She sticks her tongue out at Malcolm, who rolls his eyes.

Annabeth sighs. “Fair enough. Do you mind going to the Poseidon cabin next? Percy should awake by now, and I’m betting him that he’ll get a 2.”

“Sure thing.” I laugh and hold the door for Lou Ellen to walk out of. *** 

Percy? Can we come in?” I say. Lou Ellen has been knocking on the door for almost a minute. “It’s fine if you get a low mark but we need you to finish cleaning.”

 _No answer_.

Lou Ellen sighs. “Percy, I’m really, really sorry about this.” She closes her eyes and the lock clicks. I push the door open, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to the low lighting.

“Percy?” the bed is unmade, an indent still there from when he was sleeping.

“Percy?” Lou Ellen follows me inside. “Are you there?”

 _No answer_. Uh oh.

“Percy?” I didn’t notice at first, but Tyson is sitting in the corner, looking at me. “Is that you?”

“What? No, Tyson. It’s me, Will Solace. I walk all the way into the cabin. “Do you know where your brother is?” Tyson shakes his head and my stomach drops.

“I woke up and said to myself, I said, ‘Where is Percy?’ Then I remember that he’s in the bed on top of me, so I goes up to that bed, but Percy is gone.”

_Percy is gone._

_Oh my gods._


	17. Far enough for me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thus concludes this series, ending as quickly as it began

You’d think, with something like this, time would slow down, every detail engraved into my brain with concise care and attention. Instead, time speeds up. I don’t remember a thing from that moment-that moment when Percy disappeared-up until the new campers showed up. Leo, Piper, Jason. Soldier, Poet, King. They do the things new campers always do; shock, denial, confusion, acceptance. Then they go away, off on a quest far more important than mine.

***

Annabeth is devastated. She doesn’t let it show-she’s too proud to-but I can feel the fear and worry and helplessness radiating from her like the heat of the sun I always, always feel. Nico goes away too, looking for Percy on a hellhound along with Tyson. They think they’ll find him.

For once, I’m not optimistic.

***

The quest goes somewhat successfully, as they always do. The very earth is waging a war on us, but I’m a child of the sun. I stumble through. I help where I can, but I know it’s not enough. Practically everybody is stressed beyond belief. If we’d just had a bit of a break maybe it would be better. 6 months between two wars is not enough time.

The months fly by impossibly fast. I don’t see Lou Ellen much anymore. She’s busy with all her new responsibilities as head counselor, and I’m pretty sure she likes Cecil Markowitz. I’m not too mad about it, to be honest; she’s a great friend, but I don’t think I like her in that way all that much, and if Cecil is actually going to do something with his feelings, he deserves her.

I spend most of my time alone now. We’ve halted capture the flag and most other games so that we all have more time to train, so I spend far less time in the infirmary. A few of the new Apollo kids are interested in healing, so I show them the ropes and let them take over.

***

I blink and it’s June, then July. The other camp (there’s another camp) has waged war on us and I have to fix it. That’s what I do; I fix things. When Chiron says someone needs to go and scout the onagers facing us, I volunteer, along with Cecil and Lou Ellen. We dress in all black and set off against the rising sun. When we get closer I start to feel this weird, hollow feeling, like my heart has disappeared from my chest.

I see the shadow of a kid about my age in a jacket that almost fits him. Wait. that’s not his shadow. That’s him.

_That’s Nico._

Not many people know this, but I can feel a lot of pain a lot of the time. When I’m healing someone, I can feel an ounce of what they feel. This can be good or bad; I know what the patient needs most of the time, but it also leaves me hollow and grey. That’s how I feel now, but so, so much worse. I don’t know if my weird empathy power is out of control, or if Nico’s hurt is just that strong, but I feel awful. Nico hasn’t spotted us yet, so I finally walk up to him and tap him on the shoulder.

“Hello.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! this is the end of this one! I may do another one focused on Will and Nico's relationship, but this is really more about Will's backstory. I have another fic for The Bright Sessions if any of you wish to check that out! It's called (Everyone just wants) to be in love and it's a writing au! Other than that, thank you so much for all of the kudos! It means a lot!


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